Splicing optical fibers to photonic integrated circuits

Abstract

Techniques for aligning each of a plurality of optical fibers for coupling to a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). Transmission is detected from each respective optical fiber to the PIC using a probe, and the respective optical fiber is aligned based on the detected transmission. Each of the plurality of optical fibers is coupled to the PIC using at least one of: (i) laser splicing, (ii) laser spot welding, or (iii) arc welding.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 aligning each of a plurality of optical fibers for coupling to a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), comprising: 
 detecting transmission from each respective optical fiber to the PIC using a probe, and aligning the respective optical fiber based on the detected transmission; and 
   coupling each of the plurality of optical fibers directly to the PIC using an epoxy free and catalyst free attachment, the epoxy free and catalyst free attachment comprising at least one of: (i) laser splicing, (ii) laser spot welding, or (iii) arc welding.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying a failure in coupling a first optical fiber, of the plurality of optical fibers, to a first redundant waveguide on the PIC; and   based on the identified failure, coupling the first optical fiber to a second redundant waveguide on the PIC, wherein the first and second redundant waveguides are configured to provide an optical signal to a same endpoint on the PIC.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling each of the plurality of optical fibers to the PIC uses laser spot welding using at least two laser spots. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling each of the plurality of optical fibers to the PIC uses arc welding using one or more electrodes. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 adding, after the coupling, strain relief for the attachment of the plurality of optical fibers to the PIC.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the strain relief added after the coupling comprises non index-matching epoxy. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling each of the plurality of optical fibers to the PIC further comprises:
 pushing at least one of the plurality of optical fibers toward the PIC.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PIC comprises one or more zones configured to confine heat from the coupling of at least one of the plurality of optical fibers to the PIC, and wherein the one or more zones do not include a metal. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PIC comprises a first waveguide, and wherein a first optical fiber, of the plurality of optical fibers, is coupled to the waveguide at a vertical offset. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises an electrical probe and wherein detecting transmission from each respective optical fiber to the PIC using the probe comprises detecting photocurrent feedback. 
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 aligning each of a plurality of optical fibers for coupling to a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), comprising: 
 detecting transmission from each respective optical fiber to the PIC using a probe, and aligning the respective optical fiber based on the detected transmission; and 
   coupling each of the plurality of optical fibers directly to the PIC using an epoxy free and catalyst free attachment, comprising: 
 identifying a failure in coupling a first optical fiber, of the plurality of optical fibers, to a first redundant waveguide on the PIC; and 
 based on the identified failure, coupling the first optical fiber to a second redundant waveguide on the PIC, wherein the first and second redundant waveguides are configured to provide an optical signal to a same endpoint on the PIC. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling each of the plurality of optical fibers to the PIC does not use a fiber array unit (FAU). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 adding, after the coupling, strain relief for the attachment of the plurality of optical fibers to the PIC.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the strain relief added after the coupling comprises non index-matching epoxy. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the PIC comprises one or more zones configured to confine heat from the coupling of at least one of the plurality of optical fibers to the PIC, and wherein the one or more zones do not include a metal. 
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 a photonic integrated circuit (PIC); and   a plurality of optical fibers individually coupled to the PIC using an epoxy free and catalyst free attachment and without using a fiber array unit (FAU), 
 wherein each of the plurality of optical fibers is configured to be individually aligned with the PIC during coupling of the optical fibers to the PIC, and 
 wherein the each of the plurality of optical fibers is aligned with the PIC using a probe to detect feedback from a respective optical fiber to the PIC. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers are individually coupled to the PIC using at least one of: (i) laser splicing, (ii) laser spot welding, or (iii) arc welding. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the PIC comprises first and second redundant waveguides configured to provide an optical signal to a same endpoint on the PIC, and wherein a first optical fiber, of the plurality of optical fibers, is coupled to the second waveguide based on a failure in coupling the first optical fiber to the first waveguide. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of optical fibers is individually coupled to the PIC using laser spot welding using at least two laser spots. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of optical fibers is individually coupled to the PIC using arc welding using one or more electrodes.